Art for the Soul

“We’re going to launch the night with a challenge for 2021. Why don’t all of us who make our living and livelihood from the arts, make it our mission to promote, protect, and defend the arts as a basic human need,” Tim Daly, President of The Creative Coalition told an attentive ZOOM audience. “We all know that arts are not dessert. What can we all do to put arts on the plate with the main course arts or the common language of our humanity? We need the arts and The Creative Coalition [to survive] because you believe in what we do: Arts advocacy, that’s it. That’s the mission. We advocate. We believe that every human being and especially every child should be exposed to and participate in the arts. Not so they can become professional artists, but because we know it will enrich their lives and make them better, more imaginative, more creative, more productive, more successful human beings.”

Special guests for the evening were Tiffany Boone, Senator Barbara Boxer, Anita Hill, Reverend Jesse Jackson and Senator Paul Strauss representing DC.

“I’m Senator Paul Strauss and proud to represent the District of Columbia, but not allowed to vote on behalf of the constituents. I love being with The Creative Coalition and I’m proud that the DC statehood commission is a sponsor of this event because if you’re not working for DC statehood and you’re working for political change, you’re really not going to accomplish the change that we want in this country. Right now, the United States Senate has a majority of Senators representing only 18% of the population. It’s fundamentally our least democratic institution. Every good outcome that may result from this election is at risk because right now the United States Senate is the obstacle to most of the policies, programs, and ideals that the American people are crying out for. If you’re serious about funding the arts; if you’re serious about putting an end to the divisive discrimination that plagues our country; if you’re serious about bringing together and funding, the kinds of human needs that need priorities in our budget, you need to be supporting statehood for the District of Columbia and putting an end to the gridlock that has paralyzed our democracy and threatens the political equality. Of all Americans DC residents. just like the citizens of the 50 States pay full federal taxes, serve the military and other government offices and are equal Americans in every way, except when it comes to voting.”